It was a Saturday lunch and just about every table in Nick’s Restaurant was full. At the height of the rush, a mini bus unloaded and a parade of people walked past the bar and dance floor into a private room for a birthday celebration.

Nick’s, located on the ocean in Pacifica, is clearly a tourist destination but also a local hangout. In fact, the reader who encouraged me to include Nick’s in this Classic series is 65 and has been going there since as far back as she remembers.

After my visit I could see why: It’s classic mid-century decor, starting with the neon sign behind the orchestra stage on the dance floor. There are also wood-paneled walls, low ceilings and graphics that look like Las Vegas circa 1955. One wall of the restaurant has poster board that says “Devil’s Slide, Then and Now,” with vintage and new photos of the tunnel being constructed. Yet a view of the ocean surpasses everything; ironically, the best views are in the parking lot surrounding the restaurant and the Sea Breeze Motel next door, which could easily have been used as a backdrop for a Gidget surfing movie.

Service is fast and friendly, and the food is good. The restaurant specializes in seafood, of course, with a half-dozen beef dishes, including prime rib ($28.50), offered at dinner. The sign outside the flat-roofed building tells you what to order: the crab sandwich ($20). It’s good, but it’s on bread that looks more like Texas toast so I’d order it open-faced. There’s also very good fish and chips, and a shrimp or crab Louie salad, or a combo of the two ($22.50). For dessert, there’s a really good fruit cobbler.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the dance floor is put to good use, and there’s a live band. I can almost see the men in suits and women in their full-skirted dresses swirling around the floor in the glow of the neon sign and the light from the nearby bar.